The door melted on impact, the resulting spray of molten iron turning the resulting hole cherry red for a brief second.
It was enough to save their lives.
GET BACK! TOM screamed as another nano-curtain came down on the other side of the hole.
Bethany Anne screamed in frustration and blasted the curtain with Etheric energy. “You fucking coward! Stop hiding behind your tech and FACE ME!”
Kurtherian, TOM growled.
A silhouette passed across the hole.
Bethany Anne stamped her foot. FUCK! Michael, there’s a Kurtherian in there.
Michael’s hands clenched into fists. There isn’t a lot we can do with that curtain in place.
Bethany Anne put a hand to his arm. There’s plenty we can do. Watch my back, and get the Polaris here. I’m going to find a way around that curtain. There are still more prisoners somewhere in this building, and I mean to find them.
Just as soon as I rip that fucker’s still-beating heart from its chest.
Ooken System, QBS ArchAngel II
The fleet arrived with a bang.
Heavy weapons fire from the ancillary fleet preceded the superdreadnoughts through the Gates they opened simultaneously at strategic points around the sixth planet.
The Ooken were quick to react. Their ships spilled from the larger platforms, while the smaller satellite stations released thick clouds of drones into the vacuum.
Admiral Thomas was prepared. He paced the bridge, waving his datapad like a baton as he conducted the attack. “ArchAngel, keep that Gate covered. CEREBRO, send out the order to fry those damned drones, and get ready for the dreadnoughts. They won’t be far behind. Get the Ballista in place and defended.”
True to his expectations, a Gate opened between the fleet and the planet. A nest of metallic tentacles burst from the center, crackling with energy.
Admiral Thomas spotted one of his ships between the SD Ballista and the Gate. “CEREBRO, get Kael-ven onscreen,” he called.
The captain of the G’laxix Sphaea was less than pleased to be disturbed. “I’m in the middle of something here.”
“Yes,” Admiral Thomas replied. “The firing line.”
Kael-ven shrugged, unconcerned about his ship’s proximity to the Ooken Gate. “Meh, all the Ooken have is those plasma weapons. Damn amateurs. I’d shoot myself with plasma.” He leaned out of the shot for a few moments. “Watch that Gate.”
Admiral Thomas shifted his gaze to the Gate and the emerging dreadnought. “What now?”
Kael-ven lifted a finger. “Kiel?”
A moment later, the Gate vanished in a flash of light, nothing left of it or the Ooken ship but a cloud of dust that was stolen by the solar wind.
Admiral Thomas picked his jaw up. “What in Heaven’s name was that?”
“You’re looking at the prototype for our latest weapons system.” Kael-ven chuckled. “We took shore leave at the Helena after we were done at Moen, and Jean gave us a bunch of stuff she has in mind for the new ships to test.”
The Admiral threw his hands up. “Why is it that nobody ever thinks to tell me about these developments? I’m only the damn admiral, for crying out loud. It’s not like I need to know what I’ve got to fight with or anything.”
Kael-ven chuckled. “Jean told us you’d say that, and to tell you that you’ll get yours soon enough.”
“Did she now?” Admiral Thomas wasn’t sure if that was a threat or a promise. Had he offended her? He hoped not. That shit could get painful.
“She also said a few things that don’t bear repeating, sir,” Kiel piped up offscreen, clarifying everything by exactly zero percent.
“I’ll just bet she did.” Admiral Thomas leaned over his console as CEREBRO spoke in his ear. “You have drones inbound. Stay safe, now.” He returned Kael-ven’s nod and cut the call. “CEREBRO, sitrep.”
The holomap lit up to illustrate CEREBRO’s rundown of the fleet’s progress. “The Defiant, the Wright, and the Queen's Fury were all headed for attack point seven when the Ooken opened a Gate close to point six.”
Admiral Thomas could see no markers indicating the Shinigami-class ships on the map. “Let me guess: they all dropped off.”
“Within seconds of the Gate’s activation,” CEREBRO confirmed. “Wait, I have them…and they’re gone again. Along with the Gate and the four destroyers that made it through.”
Admiral Thomas frowned. “Damn, they’re good. Never mind the Bitches, CEREBRO. They can operate just fine without us. Tell me about something we can track. Where are the other ships?”
“The Ballista and the G’laxix Sphaea are holding by the planet,” CEREBRO replied. “The Astraea and the Adrastea are taking care of a cluster of Gates between points three and four.”
A flash of light washed over the viewscreen, and the floor beneath the Admiral’s feet hitched. “ArchAngel, report.”
ArchAngel replaced the outside view on the screen. “The Ooken have worked out our shield phase frequencies,” the AI replied. “They got a fragmentary explosive through. We have hull breaches on decks Three to Five. I have dispatched repair bots ahead of the maintenance crews to assess the damage.”
Admiral Thomas had no time for commiseration. He scrolled through the preliminary damage reports as they started coming in from the bots. “Were the weapons affected?”
ArchAngel looked off to the side. “Weapons are online and still fully functional, Admiral.”
“Then keep pounding the crap out of them.” He dropped into his chair, watching the Ballista fling another chunk of asteroid into the planet’s gaseous atmosphere while ArchAngel loosed a steady blanket of kinetics, explosives, and energy discharges at the enemy around the scuppered ship.
The impact from the asteroid displaced high loops of gas as large as the superdreadnought itself, lighting the battlefield a ghostly orange as the gas refracted light from the local star.
Admiral Thomas knuckled his eyes to rub away the bright coronas that remained in his vision. “CEREBRO, how many times have they missed the shield?”
“None,” CEREBRO replied. “However, due to the acidity of the atmosphere, our asteroids are more the size of baseballs by the time they impact. Still effective, but hardly the same power.”
Admiral Thomas kept his gaze on the screen. “What’s your recommendation?”
CEREBRO’s answer held a note of amusement. “There’s nothing else to do, Admiral. We’re gonna need a bigger asteroid.”
Admiral Thomas groaned. “Did someone spill coffee in one of your cradles, CEREBRO? Your understanding of humor appears to be malfunctioning horribly.”
CEREBRO made a raspberry sound. “Killjoy. You have an incoming transmission from the platform.”
“Put it through,” he told the EI group. “Bethany Anne?”
Michael’s voice came crackling from the speaker. “Sorry to disappoint you, Bart. We’re in a tight spot. Technology we haven’t encountered before. Bethany Anne is requesting the Polaris, plus pickup for us two plus eight of the Collective and all the other prisoners we expect to find before we’re done.”
Admiral Thomas grimaced at the viewscreen. “The moment we get through the shield, I’ll have it there waiting.”
Michael sighed. “What’s the delay with the shield? If those towers remain operational much longer, things are going to get hairy down here.” He paused. “And tentacle-y.”
“Too late,” Bethany Anne cut in. “ADAM can’t keep them all locked in anymore. I’ve pulled him back to work with us on the nano-curtain since we’re already trapped in here.”
Admiral Thomas sucked in a breath. “Trapped? How deep in the shit are you?”
“Pretty fucking deep,” Bethany Anne replied. “But not so deep we can’t pull it back. We’ll keep working on getting out of here. Just make sure you’re ready with our ride when we do.”
Admiral Thomas got up to resume his pacing. “CEREBRO, you heard the Queen’s orders. Get the Polaris into position, and have the fleet
focus on getting access to that platform. We need to get to Bethany Anne and Michael.”
16
Ooken Sky Base, Cavern
Bethany Anne, TOM interrupted, I don’t think we have much time.
Bethany Anne narrowed her eyes at the hole in the wall, leaving Michael to figure it out. ADAM, the nano-curtain?
>>This is…there’s no way into the programming.<<
The Kurtherian passed the hole again, leaving Bethany Anne no clearer on what species the diminutive figure was wearing beneath its robe.
Michael cut in, Can’t you create a backdoor or something?
>>I don’t think so,<< ADAM admitted. >>There’s nothing to work with. Whoever wrote this didn’t make any mistakes.<<
TOM’s concern was clear in his tone. I was afraid of this.
Everybody makes mistakes. Bethany Anne frowned. Get ready, TOM. If ADAM can’t make a backdoor into the curtain, we’re going to make one for him.
TOM sighed. If I had an eyebrow. Just one…
Bethany Anne raised her own. You’d look like an ass, that’s what. Who the fuck wants a monobrow? Concentrate on your cousin in there.
Do you know how offensive that is? TOM asked.
I assume very. Bethany Anne snickered. If you can’t laugh in the face of death, what can you do? She probed at the Kurtherian’s consciousness with her own. Hey, asshole! Whose body are you treating like fucking couture right now?
The Kurtherian ignored her, although Bethany Anne felt a ripple of amusement at the edges of its mind.
You’re so brave, hiding behind your little curtain. When I get through it, I’m going to tear your wormy ass out of your host and grind you to paste under my heel. Bethany Anne adjusted her position to take the pressure of her left knee from her right ankle. I have to learn to meditate standing up. TOM, do we know who we’re working with yet?
Hmmm. TOM considered the options. Not aggressive or very talkative. Not arrogant enough to brag. He made a sound that could only be described as a gasp when the Kurtherian came over to the curtain to stare at Bethany Anne, who was sitting cross-legged in front of the nano-curtain. Holy fuckballs!
Bethany Anne got to her feet in an instant. Shit, TOM. What brought that on?
TOM’s voice wavered as he spoke. The clan just became the least of our concerns. That’s no host body.
Bethany Anne raised her chin, meeting the Kurtherian’s glowing red eyes with a dazzling flash from her own. It’s a real Kurtherian? I’ve always wondered what you guys looked like when you weren’t wearing other people like meat puppets. You guys don’t wear clothes?
We wear clothes. He stopped chuckling when a flash of light from behind the curtain raked her vision.
TOM cursed softly. Bethany Anne, it’s gone.
Bethany Anne glared into the returning gloom as the afterimage faded, confirming her certainty that the room beyond had been vacated. Fuck it! Inches! It was fucking inches away from me! She stamped her foot in frustration. I want that curtain tech, and I want a way around it so this doesn’t happen again.
Michael glanced down, detecting an almost indiscernible reverberation in the crystal under their feet. Do that again.
Do what again? Bethany Anne asked.
Michael stamped his foot. Did you feel that? The space beneath us is hollow.
Bethany Anne raised an eyebrow and confirmed it by stamping again.
NO! Michael’s eyes widened, his hand coming up a fraction too late.
A deep crack reverberated from the walls, and the ground beneath their feet parted.
Bethany Anne dropped almost all of her weight immediately when they plummeted to the level below, halting her plunge and floating down at a more survivable pace.
She dropped the last step to the ground as Michael landed beside her in a crouch, sending up a cloud of pulverized crystal. We aren’t the only living beings down here. We must be close to where the other prisoners are being kept.
Michael got up from his crouch and brushed off the dust as he glanced around. This looks like it leads toward the cavern on the upper level. Perhaps we will find a way to free the trapped Collective without endangering them.
Only one way to find out. Bethany Anne walked in the direction of the faint heartbeats, energy ball and katana at the ready.
The conduit spoke up in her mind as they neared the end of the passage. Bethany Anne, there are Corrupt in the over-chamber.
Bethany Anne exhaled. Well, isn’t that just fan-fucking-tastic?
What is? Michael asked.
Our friends have just informed me there are Ooken above us. I’m going to guess the dead one’s absence in the hive mind alerted them.
Michael grimaced, anticipation putting a gleam in his eyes. We expected that. The only surprise is that it took this long. What do you want to do?
Bethany Anne paused to consider the options. Prisoners first, then we’ll figure a way out of here.
Michael glanced back at the hole they’d fallen through. And when the Ooken realize we are down here?
Bethany Anne turned her katana in one fluid movement, scribing a circle in the air with her blade before setting off again. We’ll make sushi out of them.
The passage they were in began to widen out a short distance ahead, opening up as the wall tapered gradually to the left.
Michael tapped the crystal lightly with a finger. There’s water behind this.
Mmhmm. The tank. Bethany Anne was distracted by the nearness of the Collective consciousness. We’re getting to the end of this passage.
Michael sensed the change in the air currents ahead. The Collective are directing you?
No, but they’re sticking close by. Bethany Anne’s lip curled as the conduit continued to report on the Ooken. They want to protect us.
Michael indicated the culmination of the passage. Can they tell us what we’re going to find behind that door?
Bethany Anne shook her head. We’re on our own.
Not for long, Michael told her. Bart says they’ve broken through the outer shield.
Bethany Anne deactivated her armor’s cloaking, keeping tight control of her energy ball to prevent it from surging when the drain on her energy ceased. Keep in touch with him. I need my mind clear to maintain the mental link with the Collective.
Not a problem. Michael tried the door. It’s locked. We might activate another nano-curtain if we blow it open.
Bethany Anne raised the hand holding her energy ball. Stand back. I’m going to try something different. She flicked her hand at the metal slab blocking their way when he moved aside.
The energy vaporized the door without any disturbance to the surrounding crystal, leaving the way ahead clear.
Michael made a face of appreciation at the sudden absence of door. What did you do there?
Bethany Anne peered through the hole in the wall at the six-foot-wide crystal walkway. I was thinking about the nano-curtain and how those nanocytes are programmed to consume matter. I instructed the energy to feed on the metal at the atomic level. She reactivated her cloaking and stepped cautiously through the door onto the crystal floor beyond with her weapons raised.
Michael turned a spark of energy over above his gauntlet as he followed Bethany Anne through the hole. You’re saying that you coded the energy to consume inorganic matter? How is that possible?
Bethany Anne raised an eyebrow. It’s more complicated than that, but yes. As to how I did it, fuck if I know. I wanted it, it happened.
Michael accepted her answer—for now. How Bethany Anne had done something confusing yet appropriate once more would have to wait for a time where they weren’t in the bowels of the enemy lair. Coded it, instructed it. Same thing.
Bethany Anne scanned the area around them, indicating hollow-eyed beings of different species huddled in cramped cells cut out of the crystal. More proof that the Seven are sicker than the drip at the end of a gangrenous dick. Just look at it; this place is laid out like a fucking concentration camp. I don’t recognize
any of these species, but I’ll wipe every fucking Ooken off the face of this platform by hand for what’s been done to them.
Michael glanced around at the forcefields containing the prisoners, noting that a few of them seemed to feel his gaze upon them. No argument from me. Some of these beings have psionic abilities.
Either that or heightened ability to sense danger. Bethany Anne halted where the crystal was intersected by a metal walkway with a circular Ooken-sized gap in the cross-section. She leaned over to look at the floor below, then turned her head to look over her shoulder at Michael. See? Same equipment as the lab above, but scaled right up. This must be where they cook up the special sauce, with the prisoners as the ingredients.
Michael looked over the rail. There’s no shortage of Ooken down there.
Bethany Anne hopped onto the railing and scanned for a suitable landing place, ignoring the easy way down. They won’t even know we’re here. Come on, we need to find a way to free the prisoners.
Michael perched on the rail beside her. You’re thinking there’s some equivalent of a generator room down there?
You bet that peachy ass of yours I do. Bethany Anne pushed off, landing on top of the machine she’d picked out. I’ve got ADAM tracing the route now, and you’ll get it in your HUD as soon as I have it.
Michael’s HUD display was overlaid with a filter a moment later that showed ghostly arrows pointing toward Bethany Anne. He made the leap, landing cat-like beside her. This could be another opportunity to gain some new technical knowledge. Imagine if we combine the nano-curtain technology with the advanced forcefields they’ve got. That would be game-changing in terms of defense.
Bethany Anne grinned at Michael’s shared passion. Game-changing isn’t the word for it. You’re talking about upgrading the BYPS systems, right? That was my first consideration. She made her way along the machine, careful not to make a sound that would alert the Ooken just meters away from them. My second was to wonder how I can use the tech offensively once we have it.
Michael chuckled dryly. Of course, it was. He paused for an Ooken to pass between two machines before crossing the gap between them.
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